By Sarah Sharif
It's simple. Burning fossil fuels causes smog. And across the region, oil, gas, and coal are some of the biggest contributors to our smog problems. Smog threatens our health, especially children who develop asthma or other serious respiratory illness as a result of breathing in this toxic pollution. EPA has proposed to reduce the amount of smog that is allowable under the Clean Air Act to be more in line with what our best, most up to date science is telling us is safe to breathe. And next week, they want to hear from you.Big polluters from across the country will be sending their lobbyists and politicians to fight this vital clean air protection. But we can fight back by showing up with our stories, demanding EPA take action to reduce smog pollution.
Event Details
WHO: EPA, Sierra Club, community activists, and you!
WHAT: Hearings on EPA's smog proposal
WHEN: Thursday, January 29, 2015, 9:00am - 7:30pm
WHERE: Arlington City Hall, 101 W. Abram St, Arlington, TX 76010 [Map]
RSVP: http://action.sierraclub.org/TXsmoghearing
Questions: Contact Sarah Sharif at sarah.sharif@sierraclub.org
Bus from San Antonio/Austin:
Pick up in San Antonio: t.b.d.
Pick up in Austin: Mexitas, 1107 North Interstate 35 Frontage Road, Austin, TX 78702 (park by the white wall). We will meet between 8:00-8:30am and leave by 9:00am.
After you take action, be sure to forward this alert to your friends and colleagues and share it on your social networks!
Background
What is smog? Also referred to as "ozone" or "O3", smog pollution, is largely driven by the burning of fossil fuels, (power plants and vehicle tailpipe emissions). It can trigger respiratory problems like asthma attacks, nervous system disorders and cardiovascular problems. Over time, exposure can lead to permanent lung damage and even premature death.
Here's the kicker - smog-forming pollutants come from many sources. Cars, coal plants, fracking, cement kilns, diesel trucks, refineries, idling construction equipment, 18-wheelers, etc. Thus, folks who care about clean air, stopping fracking, light rail, electric vehicles... we all have a stake in this fight!
The communities of San Antonio, Karnes County, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and others are affected by pollution from the extraction, refining, and burning of gas, coal, or heavy oil like tar sands. All of those processes produce asthma-inducing pollution in the form of smog, which disproportionately impacts the poor and working class communities of color.
Stronger soot standards could avoid up to 35,700 premature deaths, 23,290 visits to the emergency room, and 2.7 million days of missed work or school due to air pollution-caused ailments every year.
San Antonio's smog/ozone problem has gotten worse, largely due to emissions from fracking operations south of the city.
Today, the public largely shoulders the expense of the smog pollution through medical bills, sick children, and missed work days.
Against the advice of scientists and experts, the current, George W. Bush-era standard was set at 75 parts per billion (ppb), a level widely recognized by the medical community to be insufficient to protect public health, especially for sensitive populations like children, the elderly and asthmatics.